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Hernando Today

Ambulance Fee Hike On Agenda

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Published: May 19, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - County Fire Chief Mike Nickerson will try again Tuesday to get his bosses' approval to raise ambulance transport fees to offset rising department costs.

Last month, county commissioners tabled a decision and asked Nickerson to come back with more data supporting his claim.

Rising fuel costs and a decline in the millage rate has forced his department to do more with less money, he said then.

Nickerson is anticipating a larger decline in revenue from 2007 to 2008, due to higher costs associated with gas, vehicle maintenance and replacement and personnel.

He also believes more aggressive transport collections from a new billing company hired two years ago will help bring in more revenue.

According to revenue statistics obtained by Hernando Today, county EMS had $1.14 million carry forward reserves for fiscal year 2007-08. For fiscal year 2008-09, the reserves are a recommended $1.08 million.

The county budget office reports:

- In 2003, Hernando County Fire Rescue-EMS received $1.5 million from ad valorem taxes and another $2 million in ambulance fees. Add in other assorted revenue, and the department collected $3.9 million in 2003.

- In 2004, the department collected $1.6 million in ad valorem taxes and $2 million in ambulance fees. Total revenue for the year: $3.7 million.

- In 2005, ad valorem revenue totaled $2.2 million. Ambulance revenue was $1.8 million. Total revenue for the year was $4.6 million.

- In 2006, ad valorem revenue was $2.7 million and ambulance fee revenues were $2 million. Total for the year: $4.9 million.

- In 2007, ad valorem revenue collected was $3.5 million, while ambulance charge revenues was $3 million. Total for the year was $6.9 million.

Also on Tuesday's agenda, County Engineer Charles Mixson will discuss Hernando Beach navigational channel maintenance and the dredge project.

The county commission meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Hernando County Government Center, 20 North Main St. in downtown Brooksville.

EMD update

Placing the operation of the county's Emergency Management Department in the hands of the sheriff's office will be discussed at Tuesday's county commission meeting.

County Administrator David Hamilton said he has already discussed the concept with the sheriff's office and will report it to the board.

"To date, we are only at the discussion stage but are able to report that there is general interest in this approach that is similar to that in place in neighboring Citrus County," Hamilton said in a May 15 memo to the board.

In the meantime, Hamilton said Mark Tobert will remain as interim director of the Emergency Management Department.

Former director, Tom Leto, was fired May 9 after a sheriff's investigation and a county audit revealed questionable management practices.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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